Brian Allen Stays Home and Plays

While not as immediately exotic as Siberia or Thailand, Lake Jackson Texas really could be considered another country as Mr. Wilkins could verify. This coming weekend, I’ll be playing some duos here with the great Argentinian drummer Hernan Hecht.

Brian Allen || Hernan Hecht Duo April 2008 Tourette

Sunday, April 20 – The Clarion at Brazosport College, Lake Jackson 4pm. Admission is free
Monday, April 21 – Klein Oak HS in Houston, 3pm
Tuesday, April 22 – Hecht Drum Clinic at Brazoswood HS, Lake Jackson 8:30am
Tuesday, April 22 – Allen + Hecht Masterclass at Lake Jackson Intermediate School, 4pm $5 suggested donation

Brian Allen – trombone, Atari 2600, melodica, Kaoss Pad and other toys and electronics
Hernan Hecht – drums, electronics, percussion, toys (www.hernanhecht.com)

The Clarion is a beautiful performance hall with amazing acoustics. It is 50 miles south of Houston and one of the nicest places I’ve ever played. I have had the honor of teaching at Brazosport College since 2002.

Mexico City-based Hernan Hecht and I met in Merida in the Yucatan Peninsula, January 2007 when I got a grant from the organization Meet the Composer to rehearse and perform my music with a new band composed of Mexico-based musicians. Last September, Hernan and I did a very intense duo southwestern U.S. tour, with over 11 concerts in 10 days, playing all over Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. We will have a duo CD coming out shortly.

Check out some of our videos at YouTube.

Now Hernan has joined Brainkiller, my duo with Phoenix pianist Jacob Koller, and weâ€™re really excited about our recently recorded CD after a rocking fall Mexico tour. In March, the trio played several concerts in Phoenix, including a show at the eternally cool and supportive Modified Arts Space, opening for Carla Bozulich. I also did an Edwards-sponsored clinic at Peoria HS in Phoenix.

Watch www.myspace.com/brainkillermusic for upcoming news/events. And check out some more YouTube videos.

Reviews for “Synapse” my trio CD with Tony Malaby and Tom Rainey, are still coming in with the latest being in the Greek Jazz Magazine “Jazz and Tazz.” If you can translate, please have a look here or here (and scroll down).

You can still buy this CD at many fine vendors, including iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, Downtown Music Gallery and through my website.

Jazz Trombone Ensemble fans might be interested in this clip from the 2005 Texas Tech University Jazz Bone Band, the year we won the ETW Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition and performed at ETW with the generous support of Edwards Instruments! This performance was at TMEA from that year, playing my tune “Knockoff.”